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Global warming and energy dependence make it necessary for us to adapt our mode of energy

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production and consumption without delay. Renewable energy sources available locally

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can make a greater contribution with little or no CO2 emissions. In 2005, these energies

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made up 8.5% of the final energy consumption of the European Union. By 2020, the objective

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is to reach a share of 20%. The water mills and windmills of our grandparents produced

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mechanical energy from renewable sources. Their modern versions produce electricity.

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Thus windmills transform wind into electricity. The European production of wind electricity

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which has made great progress is now equivalent, for example, to the combined electricity needs

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of Denmark and Hungary. Hydraulic energy produces electricity. Small hydraulic plants or big

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dams, the production process is the same. The energy potential of a head of water is

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converted into electric energy. Geothermal energy uses heat from the depths of the earth

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to produce heat or electricity. At just a few meters below the surface, already heat

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pumps can extract heat from gardens to heat houses. This is a relatively new but promising

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application. Solar energy can produce heat or electricity. Solar heat panels installed

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on a roof can cover most of the hot water needs for sanitary purposes and can serve

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as a backup for domestic heating. It's estimated that over 20 million square meters of solar

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heat panels were installed throughout Europe in 2006, and not only in the southern countries,

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far from it. Solar energy is also converted into electricity in solar mirror plants or,

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directly, using panels of photovoltaic cells grouped together in plants or placed on facades

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of buildings or roofs or in isolated sites. Biomass is produced from vegetable, animal,

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or urban waste. It's called the sleeping giant because it's probably the most important renewable

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energy of the future. It has multiple applications. The most widespread is combustion of wood or wood

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pellets for domestic heating. In industry or in towns, the aim is to co-generate heat and

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electricity, which offers a much better overall yield. Biogas is produced by fermentation of waste

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such as liquid manure used in farming or other organic waste. It produces heat and electricity.

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Purified biogas can be used as gaseous biofuel. Biomass also makes it possible

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to produce liquid biofuels, biodiesel, and bioethanol. The European Union has proposed

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that 10% of diesel and petrol needs be covered by biofuels by 2020, with strict respect of the

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conditions for sustainable development in this domain. The European Union is the world leader

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in the development of renewable energy with over 350,000 jobs and an annual turnover of

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30 billion euros. It intends to stay in the lead and is committed to reaching the objective of

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20% of renewable energy by 2020. Governments have a crucial role to play through their good

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example and their support, but each individual can also help to achieve this ambitious but

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necessary objective.